The Polish Association of the Veterans of the UN Peacekeeping Operations

Prepared for the second Northern European Conference on Veteran Support – BNMO Centre, Doorn, The Netherlands

9-12 May 2002

Poland, officially the Republic of Poland - country in Central Europe, bordered on the north by the Baltic Sea and Russia; on the east by Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine; on the south by the Czech Republic and Slovakia; and on the west by Germany. Its capital and largest city is Warsaw.

"...Peacekeeping is not a job for soldiers, but only soldiers can do it..."

                                                                                    Dag Hammerskjöld

It has been 29 years since the first Polish troops participated in a peacekeeping operation, deployed to UNEF II in the Sinai Peninsula.Since that time, Poland has become one of the major contributors to peacekeeping operations. Poland is currently one of the largest troop contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations. When the armistice agreement was signed on 27 July 1953 at Panmunjom, Polish military officers joined two international commissions established to supervise compliance with the conditions of the cease-fire agreement. More than 1000 Polish officers and NCOs have served in those commisions. To date,more than 46000 Polish military personel have participated in 52 peacekeeping and humanitarian missions established and organized by United Nations.

Initially, Polish Military Contingents specialized mainly in the area of logistics. The first was UNEF II ( United Nations Emergency Force) on the Sinai Peninsula (phot. left), from November 1973 to January 1980, with a strength ranging from 822 to 1026 troops. The contingent provided a wide range of logistic support to UNEF. The Polish Field Hospital & Clinics were responsible for medical services. The logistic unit purified water and transported drinking water and food to all contingents, and the engineering sub-unit was responsible for mine clearing.

UNDOF (United Nations Disengagement Observer Force), deployed on the Golan Heights, was the second UN mission to which Poland provided a logistic unit (from June 1974 to December 1993). The Polish Logistic Contingent (POLLOG), with a strangth of 154 troops, was mainly responsible for the transportation of water, food and other items. POLLOG also included a sanitary and epidemiological laboratory and engineering platoon which carried out mine clearing tasks.Since December 1993, Poland took over the operational tasks from the Finnish contingent and handed over the logistic tasks to the Canadian contingent.

UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group) in Namibia, where Poland deployed a logistic unit with a strength of 393 troops (from March 1989 to May 1990). The unit handled central depots and provided full logistic support in the northern part of the mission area. As in UNDOF, Poland shared the logistic duties with Canada. 

UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia) where Poland deployed a battalion size contingent, comprised of logistic and engineering units, with a total strength of 709 troops (from May 1992 to November 1993). Its logistic tasks included transportation of water, food and fuel to operational units and handling of central depots. Polish engineers also repaired roads and bridges.

A new phase of Poland's involvement in international peacekeeping operations was initiated with its contribution to UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) from April 1992 to May 1995. Poland was requested for the first time to provide an operational battalion to a United Nations peacekeeping operation. Initially, the battalion, with a strength of 900 troops, was deployed in Krajina. Its main tasks included: monitoring and patrolling of UN protected areas, protection of important installations, escorting humanitarian convoys, etc. When the UN operation was replaced by the NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR), the Polish battalion was incorporated into the Nordic Brigade.

UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon).The UN mission in South Lebanon is comprised of a logistic battalion, an engineering unit, a maintenance unit, and a field hospital, with a total strngth of 627 soldiers and at present is the biggest UN mission. The Polish contingent provides most of the military logistic support to UNIFIL's total force of over 4500 troops. The contingent's tasks include: transport of personnel and material; storage and distribution of supplies; maintenance of the force vehicle fleet and technical equipment; mine clearing; fortification and construction engineering works; medical support to the force, and humanitarian assistance to the local population;

Polish soldiers in  UN Peacekeeping Operations:No Mission Country Period of time Number of participants

1 NNSC Korea 1953 1065

2 ICSC Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia 1954-1975 1298

3 OTN Nigeria 1968-1970 5

4 ICCS Vietnam 1973-1976 650

5 UNEF II Egypt 1973-1979 11699

6 UNDOF Israel, Syria 1974- 9269

7 UNIIMOG Iraq, Iran 1988-1990 45

8 UNTAG Namibia 1989-1990 373

9 OSGAP Afghanistan, Pakistan 1990-1991 2

10 "Pustynna Burza" Saudi Arabia  1990-1991 393

11 UNAMIC Cambodia 1991-1992 2

12 UNGOMAP Afghanistan, Pakistan 1991-1993 1

13 OBWE form. Yugoslavia 1991-1994 4

14 UNIKOM Iraq, Kuwait 1991- 61

15 UNGCI Iraq 1991- 69

16 MINURSO Western Sahara 1991- 34

17 UNSCOM Iraq 1992- 8

18 UNIFIL Lebanon 1992- 8164

19 UNPROFOR form. Yugoslavia 1992-1995 3867

20 UNTAC/UNML Cambodia 1992-1994 1254

21 OBWE Georgia 1992- 10

22 OBWE Upper Karabach 1992-1993 1

23 UNOMIL Liberia 1993-1994 3

24 UNAMIR Rwanda 1993-1995 5

25 UNOMIG Georgia 1994- 30

Polish soldiers in  UN Peacekeeping Operations:26 UE form. Yugoslavia 1994- 2

27 MNF Haiti 1994-1995 56

28 UNCRO Croatia 1995 1064

29 UNAVEM II/III Angola 1995-1997 14

30 UNMOT Tajikistan 1995-2000 30

31 IFOR Bosnia & Herzegovina 1996 931

32 UNTAES Eastern  Slavonia 1996-1997 10

33 UNPREDEP Macedonia 1996-1999 10

34 UNMOP Croatia 1996- 6

35 OBWE Bosnia & Croatia 1996-1998 141

36 OBWE Latvia 1996-1999 3

37 OBWE Croatia 1996-2000 5

38 MONUA Angola 1997-1998 8

39 SFOR Bosnia and Herzegovina 1997- 3558

40 OBWE Macedonia 1997-1998 2

41 OBWE Bosnia & Herzegovina 1998-1999 2

42 KVM Kosovo 1998-2000 4

43 AFOR Albania 1999 140

44 UNIMIK Kosovo 1999 3

45 UNMIBH Bosnia & Herzegovina 1999- 3

46 KFOR Kosowo 1999- 1880

47 MONUC Congo 1999- 6

48 OBWE Kosovo 2000 19

49 OS KFOR Kosovo 2000 531

50 UNMEE Eritrea, Ethiopia 2000- 18

51 MIF The Gulf 2000-2001 6

52 "Amber Fox" Macedonia 2001- 25

TOTAL: 46779

  Establishment A.D. 1998 Initial actions in purpose to organize the Association; vocation of the seven-person Initial Group (gen. dyw. Roman Misztal).

A.D. 1999 23.03.99. Convention of the Foundation Group - 55 participants of  different UN missions. Vocation of the 11 persons as Organizing Committee. 31.05.99.  Official Registration by District Court in Warsaw. 10.09.99.  The First General Congress of the Association. Election of the first Board. The first President became gen. bryg.Tadeusz Cepak.

The Board: President, two deputies, secretary, paymaster and 10 members of the Board (15).

Board of Control: chairman, deputy, secretary (3).

SKMP ONZul. Stefana Banacha 2

02-097 Warszawa Poland

phone: (0-22) 6 826 570  duty: Thursdays 10:00 – 14:00

Address:

http://skmponz.w.interia.plskmponz@interia.pl

The Polish Association of the Veteransof the UN Peacekeeping Operations

P res id en t 2 D ep u ties S ec re ta ry P aym as ter 1 0 m em b ers

The Board

Elected for 4 years

T he Polish Associa tion of the Vetera nsof the U N Pea cekeeping O pera tions

C lu b s

C irc le n o 1 C irc le n o 2

C irc le n o 3 C irc le n o 4

C irc le n o 5 C irc le n o 6

C irc le n o 7 C irc le n o 8

C irc le n o ...e tc .

T he Board

CONG RESSe ve ry 4 ye a rs

At the moment 38 Circles in the country

Activities & Goals of the Association

1. Actions in favour of integration of the veterans of the UN Peacekeeping Operations  and boosting their social activities.

2. Explaining to the community meaning and magnitudes of the UN and other international organizations in ensuring the peace and safety, military peacekeeping missions in the whole world and construction a self-trust and peace.

3. Popularising and sharing (both home and abroad) Polish achievements and experiences  in organized by international community peacekeeping missions in different parts of the world.

4. Representing and protection all veterans and Association member's deals  in relation with state  and local administration.

5. Actions in favour of improving a social conditions (life-level) of our members and their families.

6. Cooperation with Ministry of Defence, Foreign Affairs, etc. and another Government Agendas and Offices in all areas we're interested in.

7. Cooperation with similar international organizations all over the world. 8. Confirming companionate links and mutual respect in our environment, also with

military units and  civilian and military institutions.

The Polish Association of the Veterans of the UN Peacekeeping Operations was registered by District Court in Warsaw in 31 May 1999.Polish Soldiers have been participated in many UN Peacekeeping Operations since 1953. The year 2003 will be very special due to celebration of 50 years of Polish presence in this Missions. It's great honour to take part in such honourable missions which goal is peacekeeping and safety for many nations all over the world. In whole Poland live the veterans of the UN Peacekeeping Operations who want to cultivate traditions connected with the service for peace. They want to popularise this ideas in Polish community. They need integration to strengthen the links and friendship among them as this friendship started very often in very difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. That's why the Association was established - it was such necessity in our community to create the organization for the previous participants (veterans) of UN Peacekeeping Operations. 

The Statute is our basic document which comprises the rules of our activity. It has eight chapters:

1. Basic provisions.2. The goals and ways of its realization.3. The members - their laws and obligations.4. Acting rules.5. Authorities of the Association (Congress, Board, Board of Control).6. Circles and Clubs.7. Estate and finances of The Association.8. Ending remarks.

The full version is published in Polish.If you have any particular questions contact me by e-mail. I promise to answer.

Meetings – four times a year (according to schedule)

Parties (formal)

Excursions(week-ends in the mountains)

Picnics(informal)

SOCIAL WELFARE (special account)

Our Christmas Eve – 19.12.2001.

Weekend in the Mountains June 2001

We allocate the part of our monthly contribution for specialwelfare purpose. It’s for peacekeepers’ help in case of emergency. We hope to be able to help those who will need it.

DeclarationParticipation

Registration fee + monthly contribution

ID

We issue our bulletin "The Blue Berets". It appears every three months, available only free for our members and distributed during our meetings for members only. We have ambition to create bigger magazine in future.What's possible to find here?  News and events. Poems and songs written somewhere far from home.

1. We have agreement with Ministry of Defence. In 6 July 2000 our Association and Polish Ministry of Defence signed agreement concerning rules of the cooperation. It's the next step to increase our presence in public life.

2. In our Association we have three Committees: Law, Media & Promotion, Social Committees.

3. The Competition - "Reminiscences from UN Peacekeeping mission". Everybody can write and send to us. The results which one is the most interesting - end of October 2002. We plan to issue a book with the best works.

4. In 2003 in Warsaw will be organized The Central Commemorations of the Participation of Poland in Peacekeeping Operations. Next year we have following anniversaries: 50 years of peacekeeping operations (1953-2003) with Polish participation, 30 years of Polish Contingents in UN Peacekeeping Operations, 15 years of Peace Nobel Prize for UN contribution in peace.

Thank You very much for Your attentionThank You very much for Your attention